Head of Rotherham investigation says 'we’ve had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions' on grooming

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is pushing for a national inquiry after tech billionaire Elon Musk used his X platform to launch a barrage of online attacks on the Government over the issue.

Prof Jay produced a report on grooming gangs in Rotherham in 2014 and then chaired the national inquiry into various forms of child sexual abuse which reported in 2022.

“We have learned a lot from those reviews that have already been undertaken,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “Locally, people need to step up to the mark and do the things that have been recommended.

“I think that the time has passed for more inquiries. We’ve had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions, and especially for those victims and survivors who’ve had the courage to come forward, and they clearly want action.

“We have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it. Locally and nationally.”

The slew of messages on X from Mr Musk on the issue attacking Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips came after the Government declined to commission an inquiry into sexual exploitation in Oldham, insisting it should be locally-led.

Prof Jay declined to answer when asked whether she felt US billionaire Mr Musk knew what was going on in Oldham, but added: “I have heard very little in the last few days about the appalling and lifelong effects that child sexual abuse can have on people.”

She said she is pleased that the subject matter and the recommendations made by her inquiry are getting attention “but this is definitely not the way I would have chosen for it to happen”.

She acknowledged that plans for new legislation announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday had happened quicker than they might otherwise have done.

“It (the row) may well have given it some kind of impetus to move forward,” she said.

Prof Jay’s inquiry noted that “many of the high-profile child sexual exploitation prosecutions have involved groups of men from minority ethnic communities” but a lack of data means it is “impossible to know whether any particular ethnic group is over-represented as perpetrators of child sexual exploitation by networks”.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, who has called for “a fully national inquiry”, was quizzed as to why the previous Conservative government also rejected a public probe into cases in Oldham.

Mr Jenrick said he had “written about this” when he was asked why he had never mentioned “grooming”, “child sexual abuse” or the Rotherham scandal in the House of Commons during his 10 years as an MP and former Home Office minister.

On Monday, Ms Cooper announced that ministers would begin implementing Prof Jay’s call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse.

Downing Street said the duty to report child sexual abuse should apply to people engaged in regulated activities with children, including teachers, healthcare professionals, sports coaches and faith instructors.

More details are expected to be set out in the coming weeks.

Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones was unable to provide a timeline for implementing the wider recommendations of the Jay inquiry when questioned by media yesterday.